To Find a Dream
by Cassidy J
Summary: [HOLD] The choices were few, the outcome inevitable. Innocents are bound to men who make blood rain in the streets of their country... [Kaoru x Battousai] [Misao x Aoshi]
1. War Arc: Part I

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters borrowed from Rurouni Kenshin, nor the single character borrowed from Inuyasha. In fact, I don't even own Rurouni Kenshin or Inuyasha. So there.   
  
- Romance / Angst - Alternate Universe -   
  
**Summary:** Three young women are brought into a town of assassins and soldiers, where they find life is far different than that of their sheltered home. In the midst of war and chaos, they find hope and love to stand against anything... even it not being returned.   
  
**Rating:** Very "R". Sexual situations, language, violence. Yes, that's right - sex and violence. Don't like, don't read.__   
  
**Things to know before reading:** There is a single character brought over from _Inuyasha_, so yes, this is a crossover. Extremely mild one at this point, as it's only the one (Sango). I was just going to use Tokio, but I really couldn't get into using her at all, so... Also, this is Alternate Universe, so things are subject to change due to the authoress's whims. Such as the fact that this isn't Japan, and Kyoto isn't a center of government...   
  
**Pairing(s):** [Battousai x Kaoru], [Aoshi x Misao], [Sango x Saitou]... Yes, I gave in to the urge to do a canon pairing fic. Isn't that evil of me? I'm so sorry for those of you who are disappointed ;_;     
  
    
  
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**To Find a Dream: War Arc**     Part I
  
  
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Civil war tore the lands apart, both through battle and simple daily life. Market prices were high due to the self-preservation instincts of the farmers, and townspeople found themselves fearing the news, waiting for the day to come when they heard of the death of their children or that war was coming to their homes. Wives prayed every night for their husbands to return home safely. Dreams of happy times, children being married off, or the success of family businesses disappeared. Naive beliefs of love and immortality broke under the strain of battle and loneliness. Now all dreams centered on survival and the hopes that family members would return home in one piece. Tension ran high amongst the population, as each day more and more lives were torn asunder.   
  
Kamiya Kaoru leaned against the gates of her father's dojo, a letter clasped tightly in her hands, slender fingers nervously folding and unfolding along the creases. Azure eyes were shadowed in her pale face as they searched the streets anxiously for a familiar figure, hunting for honey-streaked raven tresses. More than one surreptitious glance was cast her way from various men passing by; the Kamiya daughters were gifted with fresh beauty, despite the decay of happy lives in the land. It was, many matrons murmured, quite a shame that their father had left them destitute. With suitable dowries, they would have easily garnered matches and quite possibly would have had a child or two each by now. Instead, they worked hard to keep their dojo running despite its lack of students. It was well known that young Kaoru helped out at the Maekawa dojo in order to keep her family fed.   
  
Then, of course, there was Sango, who was known to help anyone in need of it, with her gentle smiles and soft words. She often helped out at the Akabeko restaurant, which invariably held more male customers when she happened to be serving that day. The older of the two, she was far less volatile than her sister, though both were trained to fight. Other than their dowries, the fact that they were probably stronger than any of the men of the village was another reason for their lack of suitors. Of course, it did nothing to diminish their crowd of admirers, who were so happy setting their sights on the younger Kamiya girl as she stood there waiting. Though many had given up their fantasies of love (or, more accurately, infatuation) because of the disastrous war, they were hard-pressed to give up their thoughts and dreams considering the Kamiya women.   
  
Blissfully unaware of the direction of nearby males' thoughts, else her temper would have ignited, Kaoru fiddled with her letter nervously. The contents of it had planted an idea into her mind, one that would not go away, no matter how hard she tried to ignore it. It was risky and preposterous, as well as potentially forever damning to their reputations, but it would so help Yahiko and Dr. Genzai, bringing about a more comfortable life for them. If Sango didn't dismiss it entirely, anyway. Of course, that was doubtful, as this might solve their problems. Or so Kaoru liked to think.   
  
Her face brightened as a familiar voice lilted through the crowd, apologizing as the owner made her way past those walking on the street. Warm cinnamon eyes landed upon her younger sister, perfectly arched brows rising in silent inquiry of her presence outside the gates. Kaoru managed an easy shrug and undaunted smile as she stepped forth to relieve her sibling of a basket looped over her arm.   
  
"Welcome home," she greeted cheerfully, all but pushing the older girl through the gates and into the safety of their home. Many sighs were expelled as the two beauties disappeared, and the crowd was quick to disperse now that their object of thought was no longer there.   
  
"How was your day?" Sango dropped her second burden, a bowl of tofu, onto the dojo steps as she sat down, feeling too tired to move any further. She had bad news, but didn't want to share it just yet. At Kaoru's noncommittal answer of "Fine", she huffed out a sigh. Such lukewarm sentiments were unnatural coming from her. "What is it?" she asked suspiciously. The last time she'd said the day had been 'fine', Yahiko had broken one of their mother's vases.   
  
The younger woman squirmed under her companion's intense scrutiny. Her carefully planned words deserted her as she thrust the much-abused letter into her sister's hands. Sango glanced it over, disinterested. More accurately, interested but not understanding the fuss. "It's a letter from Misao-chan. So?"   
  
"Haven't you paid any attention to what she's been writing?" Kaoru asked, exasperated. "She's making enough money to keep her family out of debt with this new job of hers, and she's only been gone a month!" Ignoring the faintly lecturing look on her sister's face, she rushed on, "I went to the man who hired her today and asked about vacancies, and he said yes. We could both go, and make enough money to keep everyone on their feet, maybe even buy us time until the war ends so that students will come back to the dojo!" Her enthusiasm was tinged with pleading, softening the older girl's initial refusal. "And Yahiko won't have to keep worrying about the next leak that's bound to appear. We can hire people to refinish the building after we come back. And Dr. Genzai won't have to worry about us as much, or keep spotting us money for our next meal." The last sentence seemed to deflate much of Sango's resistance. Bolstered by this, Kaoru tried for her most hopeful expression as she dropped to her knees before her. "Please, can we at least _think_ about it?"   
  
She bit her lip, furrowing her brow as she looked over the untidy scrawl of their childhood friend. The idea was a good one, she had to admit, but there was something nagging at the back of her mind, warning her to take a step back and think everything over before committing herself. "Kaoru-chan," she began slowly, carefully refolding the letter, "I know that it _sounds_ good, but realistically..." she trailed off at the pained frustration shimmering in the depths of her sister's cobalt eyes. They all felt that way lately, really. Sango fiddled with the paper and avoided her sibling's gaze, turning her own to the tofu instead. _I need to cook dinner; Yahiko will be home soon with Dr. Genzai and his granddaughters._ She bit back a sigh, knowing that she was trying to avoid the issue. "Help me with dinner," she murmured finally, pushing herself painfully to her feet. It had been a long, long day. "We'll talk in the kitchen."   
  
She knew Kaoru wanted to protest, and could only feel relieved when the younger woman grabbed the bowl of tofu and followed her into the small, sectioned-off portion of their father's dojo. It wasn't long before her tentative words began. "Is it because I'm still not that great at cooking? I'm getting better! And until I can make something edible without help, I can just do the laundry. I'm sure they won't mind that for a little while. Soldiers are _always_ getting things dirty." She sounded so vulnerable that Sango had to fight the urge to walk over and hug her close.   
  
"It's not that," she was quick to reassure, gracefully scooping out careful amounts of rice into her palm and dumping it into a large bowl. "We've just never been around soldiers before. These are people from the army. And if I'm reading correctly, they're special units. There has to be more to this town than she's letting on." She hesitated, before voicing the doubt that continued to nudge her mind. "Their jobs might be... two-fold."   
  
Kaoru frowned as she poured a small amount of water onto the powdery kernels. "Two-fold?"   
  
A faint blush stained her elder sister's cheeks as she vigorously began to wash the rice, watching with satisfaction as the once-clear liquid became milky with the coating of the grain. "It might not just be cleaning and cooking and doing laundry, but you may have to do other... favors... for the men." A quick glance showed her that her sibling still didn't understand. She let out an embarrassed little sigh and explained, "We might be used for... _indecent_ things."   
  
Navy eyes widened. "You mean... Misao-chan is...?"   
  
"No! No, no, I never said that," Sango said hastily, carefully pouring the water into waiting soil. "But it could happen to us if we went there." While her sister absorbed the information, she quickly dumped more water into the bowl and began the second rinsing of the rice. _Didn't I buy radishes last week that I haven't finished? Now, where did I put them?_ She nodded faintly as a sliver of white caught at the corner of her eye; next to the stove.   
  
"Don't you have to be willing for them to do that, though?" Kaoru asked hesitantly. The older girl frowned slightly as she motioned for her to wash and cut the radish.   
  
"I'm really not certain. Though I could be wrong," she admitted. "After all, there are plenty of _that_ kind of women around, and they will certainly go to the town in order to, ah, have customers." Her cheeks were still flushed pink over the topic of discussion. "The best way to find out is to probably ask the man in charge of finding women to fill the position."   
  
Kaoru grimaced slightly at the thought of asking the balding old man such a question. She shuddered. "I think Misao-chan would have told us if things like that happened with her," she persisted, causing Sango to pause thoughtfully. "So it must be safe, since she doesn't say a word." Unspoken was the fact that their friend loved to talk about _anything_, and so such a detail would never be left out of her letters.   
  
"True," she agreed reluctantly, watching with a careful eye as Kaoru grabbed a knife and began to slice circular pieces of radish. "Not too much," she cautioned. "I'm making soup tonight." Her head tilted slightly as she heard the gate doors come to a resounding close, and a familiar step ran past. "Yahiko?" she called out, already knowing that it was he.   
  
"Hey!" A familiar, sun-browned face showed up at the kitchen door, a wide grin splitting the dear face of their little brother. "Makin' dinner?"   
  
"Indeed." Sango calmly reached for a bucket and tossed it toward him. "We need more water."   
  
His smile faltered as he caught the instrument of doom. He _hated_ fetching water from the well. "But sis," he whined, only to be pinned by two flat stares. Though the coloring of their eyes were completely different, both of his older sisters had identical glares - it was a wholly unnerving experience. "All right, all right, I'll get it," he sighed. "Dr. Genzai wanted you to know that he'll be a little late. This guy came in with a big gash on his leg," he recalled with great relish. "It was bleeding all over the floors though his friends had all this stuff wrapped around it to sop up all the blood, and--"   
  
"Yahiko!" Kaoru reproved sharply.   
  
He stopped his too-detailed recollection immediately, offering a sheepish grin. "Gettin' the water," he said cheerfully, quickly backing out with his bucket and disappearing from sight.   
  
The two girls shared a look of suffering before they quietly began preparations for dinner once again, by silent consent tucking their conversation away until they were once again alone. Yahiko would not like the idea of his sisters going away for a long period of time, and Dr. Genzai would be horrified over them leaving for such a dangerous area. But still, they both knew that something _had_ to be done. They needed the money, and...   
  
"Oh!" Sango stared at the diced vegetables before her blankly as she remembered the news she'd forgotten to give her sister. "Kaoru-chan..." She paused as thudding steps heralded their brother's arrival, catching the younger girl's eyes as though to say _we'll talk in a minute_. "Thank you, Yahiko," she said smoothly as the boy reappeared in the doorway, complete with brimming bucket. "I need you to clean the floors of the dojo before dinner's ready, too."   
  
"Clean the - aw, all right," he grumbled, storming away with choice phrases of slave-driving older sisters. Sango smiled fondly at his retreating back.   
  
"Sango?" Kaoru prodded.   
  
"Hmm? Oh." The older girl blew out a little sigh as she began to gather all the ingredients into one of the larger pots. "I was talking with Tae-san earlier today," she offered weakly. "It looks like her family's not doing as well as they should with the restaurant, since no one can really afford to eat out anymore..."   
  
"Oh, no." Her sister straightened immediately, knowing full well the implications. Sango continued as though she hadn't interrupted.   
  
"So it looks like I need to find another job to bring in money." She frowned at the beginnings of their soup absently as she lit the fire. "I was thinking of helping you out at Maekawa-sensei's..."   
  
"You can't," Kaoru interrupted, with a sound suspiciously like a whimper. "He can't afford to keep letting me come over either, because most of the boys are wanting to go off and fight the war." She stared blindly at the stove, blinking back what felt suspiciously like tears. _I can't cry. I need to be strong right now. _We_ need to be strong right now._ "That's why I checked up on that idea."   
  
"I see." Sango stirred the pot slowly, shoulders slumping. "And none of us have been able to find any other place to work, I gather."   
  
"None."   
  
She sighed, pushing to her feet and rubbing the small of her back. "This is the only thing that's showed up at all for any sort of job?"   
  
"Yes." Kaoru looked up at her older sister with a worried expression. "I don't think we have much of a choice. We can barely afford to keep the dojo as it is, and we're eating the same thing day after day. Now that neither of us can work for money, it's only going to get worse."   
    
  
    
  
Her prophetic words brought them both more than enough headaches in the next two days. Absolutely no one was willing to hire them, no matter for how small a shift, because they couldn't afford more hired help. Sango tried at various inns, restaurants, and even homes, offering her services as cook and housekeeper. Kaoru made her way through various homes asking if anyone needed private lessons, gathering either denials or sickening propositions that _she_ refused. Then Yahiko fell ill, along with the majority of the town, exhibiting flu-like symptoms that brought a grave light to Dr. Genzai's eyes. All the money they'd saved had disappeared rapidly. Then someone broke into the dojo, leaving with nothing of value, though they'd broken a few doors and made a complete mess of the training hall. It had taken an entire evening to get the place habitable again, and they couldn't afford any repairs for a while yet.   
  
In the afternoon of the second day, both girls had taken a brief interview with the same man Kaoru had talked to the day she'd received Misao's letter. They'd been assured of a place in Kyoto if they left within a day, much to the shocked disbelief and anger of their little brother.   
  
"I don't care how much we need the money!" he shouted at them both, so angry that tears filled his eyes. "You don't need to go so far away! You can find jobs here! I'll help, too! What's the point of you leaving for jobs when you won't be here with us?"   
  
Despite both girls' attempts at soothing him, he'd run and barricaded himself in his room, flatly refusing to come out despite their broken pleas. Eventually they'd had to pack while he sulked, already having given their word to leave.   
  
_It's for the best,_ Kaoru thought, blinking away her own tears. _You'll understand when you're older, Yahiko. Sometimes the best thing isn't always nice or fun. Sometimes it'll hurt. But it still has to be done._ She managed a tight-lipped smile when both she and Sango managed to pack the barest of necessities in three bags. "Well, at least we won't embarrass ourselves with an overabundance of luggage," she quipped, her voice strained.   
  
"True," Sango agreed, though her eyes strayed to the firmly closed door their brother hid behind. She sighed. "I can't believe we have to leave tomorrow."   
  
"Me neither." Unable to stop her hands from shaking, Kaoru linked her fingers together. For a crazy moment she wished desperately that they were still children, and that their father was still alive to take care of them. It was a bitter feeling, being unable to tell him goodbye. They didn't even have his body in the plot they'd squared off for him in the cemetery. Going there to talk to him had soothed her a bit earlier, but it still wasn't the same.   
  
"We'll be going by carriage, and it's a three-day journey." The older girl tore her gaze away from her brother's room to smile slightly at her sister. "You want to get in some practice before we're stuck on the road?"   
  
"Ye - wait. We can't." Kaoru pinched the bridge of her nose with a frustrated sigh. "Whoever came in here yesterday broke all the weapons." Worries, stress, and frustration lined her forehead, showing in the tense lines of her body. Sango leaned over to tug on a silky strand of hair, laughing softly. The sound was forced, but still went a way in making her sister relax somewhat.   
  
"Kaoru, you of all people should know that the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu doesn't _need_ a sword!" The snorted words whipped two heads around as Yahiko appeared in his doorway, still appearing somewhat sullen but obviously having come to a hard decision. He rolled up his sleeves, looking over his sisters with a broad smirk. "I can take you both down, I bet."   
  
_You're going to regret that,_ Kaoru thought with a grin.   
    
  
    
  
The almost desperate fun they'd had that day still warmed a corner of her heart as the two girls made their way into Kyoto, their first glances stolen from the windows of the carriage. The village was more of a garrison, which really shouldn't have surprised her. It _was_ basically a town to house special forces in the war, after all. Training was done here. Goosebumps shivered their way down her arms as she caught the hungry looks in more than one pair of eyes. Sango obviously noticed them as well, by the tightening of her features and the foreboding expression flickering in the depths of her cinnamon-warm eyes.   
  
Kaoru fumbled for her sister's hand, squeezing it tightly as the conveyance rolled and bumped its way to the main building. Her palms were sweaty with anxiety - they _had_ to be able to make it here. They _had_ to. Yahiko and Dr. Genzai and Suzume and Ayame, the sweet little grandchildren of Dr. Genzai, were depending on her. They needed the money this job would bring. _Even if it means I have to occasionally deal with lusty drunkards, I will do it,_ she vowed silently, knowing that the same words were probably in Sango's mind. They'd made their decision and would stand by it.   
  
She felt herself trembling when they finally came to a stop, and berated herself sharply for the weakness. Yes, she was frightened, but more of the possibility that this _wouldn't work_ than anything else. They _needed_ this. They needed the money. _Anything will be worth it,_ she thought grimly, thinking of her brother's tanned, laughing face. _If it means he will have a comfortable life, then I can do anything._ From the faint pressure of her sister's hand clutching hers, she knew that they were thinking exactly the same thing as they descended the carriage to stare, unnerved, at the stone monstrosity before them.   
  
"It's certainly big," Sango murmured softly, feeling deflated over the look of the building. It was very... very efficient. Certainly came straight from the mind of a soldier, with its defense-friendly lines. Indeed, it was more of a castle than anything else, though on a smaller scale than the grandiose ones she'd heard and read about.   
  
"Indeed," Kaoru agreed, moving with a vague feeling of foreboding through the gates and to the main doors. She eyed the heavy oak and wondered if she would even be able to _open_ them; they certainly looked too big and thick to be moved. That concern was lifted from her shoulders when she realized that someone else was already opening them, allowing both girls to step into the cool interior.   
  
She gaped at the wide, arching structures, almost airy in their beauty. Despite the off-putting exterior, the interior was _beautiful_, made by master architects. Well, it could use a few more windows, but somehow they'd managed to make it seem almost light and cheery. _Perhaps a woman's touch?_ she thought, glancing at Sango with faintly arched brows. Her sister seemed to be wholly absorbed in taking in the graceful arches and tastefully placed tapestries.   
  
The other two women who had shared the carriage with them for the last two days of the journey didn't seem completely floored, and chatted quietly with each other as they were led through the hall by a young woman, who didn't meet any of their eyes. It didn't take Kaoru long to realize that it was slightly curved, to give the illusion of walking farther than they truly had. Whoever had designed this had wanted everything to be grandiose, to perhaps intimidate any visitors. Curious - it didn't seem to be a building for any sort of _soldier_. In fact, it reminded her more of the ego-boosting mannerisms of various aristocrats in Tokyo. Which was surprising, as the nobility were on the side of the shogunate, and Kyoto was in the power of the Choshou Clan, who fought for the equality of all classes.   
  
_Too much thinking,_ she quickly decided. The war never failed to confuse her - she understood what both sides were fighting for, but war _itself_ was so confusing. How it affected everyday people, ones who would never had bothered thinking about the struggle if it hadn't thrust itself into their lives. There was so much gray in the world, so many things _past_ the borders of simplicity. And none of it ever really made sense.   
  
She hesitated as they came to a stop before a second pair of double doors. Their guide opened them easily and bowed all four women through.   
  
A bathing house? Kaoru frowned. "I don't--"   
  
The door was closed in her face. _Well, that was rude._ She shared an apprehensive glance with Sango as they noted the four towels and four robes hanging neatly. The other women were already shedding their garments to slip into the steaming water. "What is all of this?"   
  
"I don't know," her sister murmured, cautiously slipping out of her blouse and flared skirt. "But I'm going to take advantage of it. I feel so _dirty_ after three days on the road. And they wouldn't even let us stop at any of the towns." She frowned slightly. It was as though they had been purposely taken in a roundabout way to get to Kyoto. Then again, she didn't actually _know_ of anyone who could get here on their own power; everyone was taken by carriage. So they made some effort to hide it, though she was certain that the enemy knew where it was. _Enemy?_ Sango shook her head slightly. _Already I act as though I am of the Choshou Clan._ Which wasn't far from the truth - she liked their ideas - but she'd never tried to be on any of their actual _sides_ before. Either way, they were still hurting the people with this war. "Kaoru-chan, aren't you coming in?"   
  
The younger girl blinked, before nodding choppily. "Oh. Right." Quickly divesting herself of her traveling clothes, she slid into the heated water with a soft hiss of appreciation. A faint smile curved her lips at the curious glances from the other two women. "Hello," she offered cordially. They hadn't spoken at all during the carriage ride, despite two days in each others' company.   
  
"You're new, aren't you?" The sympathetic voice came from the taller of the two. Her hair reached to her waist, but was pulled and piled high on her head to keep it from getting wet.   
  
"We were just recently hired," Kaoru murmured.   
  
"Hired?" The second's brows arched slightly, and she laughed softly. "Well, that's one way of looking at it."   
  
Beside her, Sango stiffened slightly. "What do you mean?"   
  
"No one _hires_ us. We come of our own choice, and they allow us to stay," she laughed. "It's nothing so complicated as having a boss."   
  
Dread pooled in her stomach. Kaoru shivered slightly and ducked a little farther beneath the water, her eyes wide. "But..."   
  
"Megumi, don't tease the poor girls." The first woman smiled impartially at them, completely relaxed. "You're new at this, aren't you?"   
  
"New at..." Sango straightened abruptly. "You don't understand! We were hired as house-keepers. Cooking, cleaning..."   
  
Suddenly the two women weren't laughing. Their eyes were dark with both sympathy and... pity? "Oh, I see. You're from Tokyo, aren't you? Yumi," the second woman turned to the first. "Wasn't there another girl who came recently from there?"   
  
"Wh-What are you talking about? How do you know we're from Tokyo?" Kaoru demanded, feeling oddly chilled despite the warmth of the water. She shivered slightly.   
  
The one named Yumi looked at them both sadly. "I suppose we should tell you. The... recruiter in Tokyo is known to tell attractive young women that there are legitimate openings here as jobs. Then they send the same women here, and they are usually stuck here. You don't have money, do you?"   
  
She shook her head.   
  
"That's how it works," Megumi picked up. "You can leave - if you have enough money to go anywhere. You won't find any jobs other than _this_ one, either. And they won't let you leave if you're not in one of the carriages. They call it safety reasons."   
  
Silence fell, an ominous feeling in the steamy warmth of the bathing house. Sango and Kaoru both stared blankly at the two women who had just given the words to seal their fates.   
  
_My stomach... it feels funny. Like I'm going to fall, but I'm just hanging, suspended, waiting. I didn't... expect this to happen. I should have known. Sango told me... but I didn't listen to her because we _need_ the money. And now we're going to..._   
  
The water felt suddenly slimy, thick and greasy around her, holding her into a place she didn't want to be. Tears pricked at her eyes as the full force of everything pounded against her mind. They were stuck here, in Kyoto, with no way to return home. Unless... unless they gave up everything that was dear to them. Unless they did something that would forever ruin their reputations, forever change the courses of their lives.   
  
Sango spoke as her younger sister continued to struggle with the ramifications. Unlike Kaoru, the older girl had already thought of the possibilities. It was different to be thrown into a situation where she had no choice, but she had still been ready for it - it didn't take nearly as long for her mind to process. "So we're whores for anyone with an... an itch." Her words were flat, almost emotionless, but for the faint shiver in them. It betrayed her feelings to the two women.   
  
"Not exactly," Megumi murmured, her brows drawing together. Sympathy beat within her heart for the two sisters. They were young and innocent, with a full life ahead of them, and because of that _jerk_ Kikuchi Taku, they had been given only one course of action. "You'll be a part of the harem. Only the favored men will be able to choose you as their companion. If you're lucky, you'll find someone who lays claim, and no one else will be able to touch you. It's... It's not so bad, really. And you'll be able to send money back home to your family..."   
  
Kaoru twitched slightly. _My family... Yahiko. Dr. Genzai. When will I be able to face them again, if I... if I do this?_ She glanced toward Sango, whose eyes were dark with sorrow... and her face firm with determination. _Can I handle this? Can she handle this?_   
  
"I see." The older girl pulled her hair down from its normal ponytail and trailed the ends through the water. "You said there was another girl recently who came from Tokyo. Was her name Makimachi Misao?"   
  
Yumi arched a brow. "Yes, actually. A nice young girl. She... Kikuchi Taku, the man who probably recruited you, told her that she would have a job as a maid. She's... adapted." She didn't mention the two weeks of depression she'd gone through, before she'd decided to make everything work. "You know her?"   
  
"She's a friend," Kaoru whispered, taking up the tail end of the conversation. "I... I got her letter the other day. And we thought it might be a good idea..." She struggled to find the words. "She... ah, we didn't know how everything worked. She didn't give us a single clue."   
  
Megumi softened further. "She probably didn't want anyone to worry. And... to salvage some of her pride. I know she would have never meant for you to follow her here."   
  
"I know." She cupped some water into her palm, before allowing it to trickle past her fingers. "There's... no way to get back without money?"   
  
"None," both women confirmed quietly. Yumi added, "I would lend you some, but... I send all mine to my family in Osaka. The same with Megumi here. I'm so sorry."   
  
"There's... no other options?" _Please, there has to be one. Something. There has to be _something_ that we can do._   
  
"Not unless you want to whore down at the taverns," Megumi replied quietly. "I tried to get hired as a doctor's assistant, but they wouldn't allow me to be anything but a harem member."   
  
"For men who fight to start a new government and new rule where all classes are equal, it's a distinctly unfair life," Yumi agreed with a soft sigh, flicking her hair absently from her face. "We just have to deal with what we can and hope everything is for the best. It's... it's not so bad, really. We have clothes, food, housing, and respect here."   
  
_But we will never have respect elsewhere,_ Kaoru thought with a stab of pain, glancing again toward her sister. Sango's lips were thinned, her brow furrowed slightly in concentration.   
  
Megumi suddenly brightened. "Oh, and it's not... well, you don't have to do _everything_. The government assassins usually just want some companionship. All those in the harem are supposed to have good conversational skills, and need to be able to serve things prettily - tea, sake, even food. So you don't have to..." she made vague motions with her hand. "Do _that_ with all the men. It's a much better life than other women have."   
  
"We have no choice in the men who want our company, though, do we?" Sango asked.   
  
"Not unless you have been claimed. You can reject claims, though." Yumi looked slightly apprehensive as she glanced toward her companion. "Megumi's rejected one three times now."   
  
"Why?" Kaoru's eyes widened. "I would jump at the chance, if it meant I didn't... well, if it meant I..." she faltered. How was she able to say _if it meant I could keep my self-respect_ in front of these two? They were so kind, and it would be... well, rude, to say such a thing. Luckily, they seemed to understand. Megumi snorted lightly.   
  
"That Sagara Sanosuke! He's..." She slapped her palm against the water angrily. "He thinks he can have it all, no matter what! Thinks he's such a big hotshot." She sniffed. "He's nothing but a big lug. All he ever does is fight, and he thinks that makes him so great, just because everyone else respects him. He has no brains!" Her cheeks were flushed an angry pink, her eyes flashing. "And then he thinks just saying 'Oi, Fox, here' and giving me that stupid collar is going to make me swoon at his feet?"   
  
Yumi hid a smile unsuccessfully behind her hand, before clearing her throat and explaining delicately, "If you're claimed, they put a collar around your neck to warn men off. If you're not, they make you wear these." She held out her wrist, pointing at the small, delicate bracelet encircling her wrist. It had a distinct pattern of roses and thorns. "Everyone here knows that it means you're part of the harem, so it makes you safe. And if someone tries anything anyway..." her brows arched. "They get punished. It's a safety measure to keep... things... from happening to us."   
  
Sango slipped a little further into the water, tilting her head back to drench most of her hair. "It's not much use worrying over it, Kaoru-chan."   
  
Her sister glanced at her in surprise, azure eyes wide. "What do you mean?"   
  
"We're already stuck here. Don't dwell on it," she advised kindly. "If you do, it's just going to bother you more. Just straighten your back and take it. Even if this is... even if this is something that goes against everything Father taught us, I'm not going to cry over it. At least this will help Yahiko and Dr. Genzai and give _them_ some happiness. That makes it all worth it."   
  
Kaoru flushed a little at her sibling's words, staring down at her reflection, wavering in the rippling water. _Don't dwell on it? That's hard. But I can at least pretend that... I can pretend it doesn't matter._ She took a deep breath and nodded, smiling weakly at the two who had given them the bald truth. "It does," she agreed calmly. "Everything is worth it if it helps Yahiko."   
  
~`~`~`~`~`   
  
Warm crimson fluid dotted his face, spraying wildly from the wound he'd inflicted. From right hip to left shoulder; an easy, graceful slice that had taken out the last man standing. He leaned down to wipe his blade clean on an unfortunate victim's shirt, glancing around the room to ascertain that everyone was, in fact, dead.   
  
They were.   
  
Battousai sheathed his katana calmly before turning to his companions. "All clear?"   
  
Saitou Hajime nodded coldly. "All three targets have been killed. All that's left is the return to Kyoto. We should meet up with the Oniwabanshu on the road, if we take the eastern route. Since we're _walking_--" he gifted his partner with a fulminating look, "it should be two weeks before we are back at base."   
  
Shinomori Aoshi glanced out the window, noting that the moon was still climbing in the sky. They had finished their mission in under an hour. "We'll cut it down by three days at least," he decided calmly. "With the three of us concentrated here, other places will be vulnerable. We need to return quickly."   
    
  
    
  
    
  
*`*`*`*`*`   
    
  
    
  
**CJ's Blurb:** Well, I hope you all enjoy this. I really like this idea, perhaps more so than any other story I've written lately. However, it's going to be a hard one to write. It's not going to be super flufftastic or anything of the sort, though I'm really hoping I'll be able to interject some humor into it.   
  
The little bit at the end was our first glimpse of our men! Yes, that's right. It's Battousai, Saitou, and Aoshi! Aren't they just wonderful? Anyway, you won't be seeing [very] much of the men/girls interaction for a little bit yet. After all, Sango and Kaoru have to adjust to their new lives, and Misao hasn't even made her physical appearance yet. ^_^ I'm so excited! I hope you all enjoy reading as much as I've enjoyed writing. Also, a note about "Anything For You" and "Replaced Bride" - those two fics I do intend to keep writing. However, they are _tentatively_ in progress. The reason for this is because they just won't be my concentrated works, though I'll try to keep them updated at least once a week. I can't promise anything, though. If anything is really going to have some work done for it, it'll be this one, I think. Looking at it, I'm hoping it will be longer than Family Disaster was, though I will not be updating daily as I did with FD. As much as I wish I could and as much as I know you all wish I would, it's just too much stress! I have classes starting soon! ^_^   
  
Revision 01/19/04: Pairings decided and listed above.   
    
  
    
  
**Choshou Clan:** These are the people who want to build the Meiji era. Yes, Saitou and Aoshi are on their side, because it's an AU and because I said so!   
  
**Shogunate:** What the Choshou Clan seeks to abolish.   
  
**Kyoto:** Although I stole the name from Japan, it's not the Kyoto of Rurouni Kenshin. It's exactly how it's described; a type of garrison where a bunch of soldiers and the high assassins are gathered.   
  
**Tokyo:** not the capital of this lovely... uh... country that I have yet to name, but it is a very large city all the same.   
  
**As for the common Japanese honorifics used throughout this fic: **(note that I am in no way fluent in Japanese and I'm using these in the context I've seen them used in various manga/anime)   
  
_-chan:_ Sango refers to Kaoru as "Kaoru-chan", one because they are close and two because Kaoru is her younger sister. Misao is also referred to as -chan, because the three girls have been friends since childhood.   
  
_-sama:_ Honorific used for those of much higher social status (emperors, kings, princesses, priestesses...)   
  
_-dono:_ Polite honorific   
  
_-san:_ Polite way of addressing someone... and strangers...   
  
_02/09/04 -- REVISED for format._


	2. War Arc: Part II

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters borrowed from Rurouni Kenshin, nor the single character borrowed from Inuyasha. In fact, I don't even own Rurouni Kenshin or Inuyasha. So there.   
  
- Romance / Drama / Angst - Alternate Universe -   
  
**Summary:** Three young women are brought into a town of assassins and soldiers, where they find life is far different than that of their sheltered home. In the midst of war and chaos, they find hope and love to stand against anything... even it not being returned.   
  
**Rating:** Very "R". Sexual situations, language, violence. Yes, that's right - sex and violence. Don't like, don't read.     
  
    
  
    
  
~`~`~`~`   
  
**To Find a Dream: War Arc**   
     Part II
  
  
~`~`~`~`     
  
    
  
    
  
She settled on the window seat, pulling her legs up beneath her in a completely undignified fashion. Yumi-san would be upset with her if she were there - but she wasn't, so for the moment Misao was safe from criticism as to her posture. _Jiya... how are you doing?_ she wondered, staring down at the gardens. She'd sent another letter off to her family yesterday, but it was getting harder and harder each day to send them false news and cheer.   
  
_I wonder what Okon and Omasu are doing now?_ she mused, cupping her chin in her palm and letting the scene before her eyes blur away. Her cousins had always been like older sisters to her, with their kindly teasing and dancing eyes. Of course, none of them were blood-related to her - she wasn't even quite sure what their relationship with Jiya was - but they had always been 'cousins' in her mind. _I hope Okon's bangs grew back. She was so upset with me when I accidentally trimmed them too short._ The two girls had held a hair-length competition for years. It had started with the older's vanity, but it hadn't been long before Misao had boasted that she could have hair just as long as her cousin's if she so wished. Omasu always rolled her eyes at the two's comparisons of hair length, braid width, general health and feel of their equally-dark tresses - she was content to put hers up and wait the tables at the Aoiya.   
  
_They said the restaurant is still losing customers. I hope this war ends soon - it isn't good to pull from the people this way. All the resources are being taken away, making simple life hard._ She sighed softly. _If it was ever easy in the first place._ Her shoulders tensed slightly, and she forced her muscles to relax. _Like me - I'm being drained each day I'm here. Though I managed to stop being so angry and upset, it doesn't change how dirty I feel. It doesn't change the fact that I'm still Makimachi Misao of Tokyo's Aoiya, not Misao of Kyoto._   
  
She groaned a little. _Stop. Thinking. Like. This._   
  
Her mind wouldn't stop wandering to her depression and futile internal struggle. She wanted desperately to continue sending the money to her family and help them out - but her core morals, ones she'd believed in since childhood, rebelled at what she needed to do in order to _do_ it. She'd already come to her decision... but that didn't mean she wasn't plagued by it.   
  
She couldn't recall a single day that doubts hadn't weighed her down, or a letter from home hadn't had her walking around with her hands tensed into fists and anger flashing in her eyes. Though... in the solitude of her room and under the cover of the stars, she would let loose all her frustration and pain through bitter tears that she couldn't allow others to see. Not if she wanted to do right by her family - not if she wanted to keep up this façade in order to send money home to Jiya and the others.   
  
Misao was lucky to be able to use physical exertion to keep her from becoming too stressed and tense with emotions, but even then she needed to be careful. Too many men would be all too willing to take her 'sparring' practice as something done behind locked doors. And, in some cases, open ones... she flinched at a particularly vile memory of an enlisted soldier 'seducing' her in the training yard. How leering eyes and dirty hands were supposed to make her swoon, she didn't understand, and could only count herself lucky that she was listed as part of the harem and not as one of the street whores.   
  
Though... lucky wasn't normally a term she would use to describe it...   
  
_Stop it!_ she reprimanded herself harshly.   
  
It was with exaggerated relief that she welcomed the knock on her door. In her rush to answer, she tangled her legs with her voluminous skirts, sending her sprawling onto the ground with a shriek. The sudden silence in the hall caused her to flush. Whoever her visitor was, it was certain they'd heard _that_. Now if they would just _not_ open to investi -   
  
"Misao-san?"   
  
_Damn._   
  
She pushed herself awkwardly to her feet, tripping a few more times in the process. "T-Tenken-san! I didn't... didn't... um... expect you..." She was blushing a crimson shade that would do blood to shame, but her gentlemanly companion ignored it - and her disarray - equably.   
  
"I brought tea," he continued blandly, closing the door behind him and setting a tray on the rug in the center of her room. It was the second time he'd come to _her_ quarters for a talk, but she felt somewhat at ease. At least she knew he wasn't going to expect anything... odd... of her.   
  
Not with that sweet little-boy smile on his face, anyway.   
  
"Uh - thanks," she murmured, still furiously trying to get her brain back in order. And her clothes. _How many times - HOW many times? - has Yumi told me to sit carefully so that something like this wouldn't happen when I got up? And of course I don't listen and something humiliating happens... thank God it was only Tenken!_   
  
"Shall I pour?" he inquired gently. She sat carefully, spreading her skirts around her gracefully. "No, I will." _And I won't spill. Because I already had my clumsy moment._ The first time they'd had tea... she winced to recall.   
  
But he simply nodded and nudged the pot closer to her for easy access.   
  
Misao steadily poured a small portion of the pale golden tea into the two small cups as she chattered easily, both to begin conversation and keep it from turning toward her... problem... when he'd entered. "Have you noticed the smell of sakura? If you take the petals and dry them, they are a wonderful fragrance for your rooms. It lingers in the air, though the flowers themselves are so delicate. The problem is that they aren't always in bloom, so I can't always have the smell." _They wither and die every year. I wonder how long I will last before I do the same. All blossoms wilt - none are ever permanent. It's the same here._ She pulled her mind sharply from the depressing thoughts and sipped at the fragrant, steaming liquid, flinching as it scalded her tongue.   
  
"I thought that scent weakened when the petals dried," her companion pointed out, still with his normal, complacent smile on his face. She set her tea down and looked at him gravely.   
  
"If you want your rooms to smell like a garden, Tenken-san, then you may put the trees themselves there. If you want a _tasteful_, lingering fragrance that tickles the nose and soothes the mind, then you may follow my advice." She spoke so primly that he laughed, holding up his hands in a surrendering gesture.   
  
"I mean no offense, Misao-san. Please forgive me."   
  
"What brings you here today?" she asked then, looking at him curiously. Many people were unnerved by his too-bright expression, always present no matter what the occasion. She'd become used to it.   
  
And so she had to blink a few times when his smile faltered as he spoke. "There are two new women that came recently. Have you not spoken with them?"   
  
"No..." her stomach tightened painfully. Who were they? People who recognized her? Ones who could destroy her entire life back at home if they so wished? She battled with the instinctive fear to concentrate on his words.   
  
"...Kamiya Kasshin Ryu. I thought it was interesting because their father--"   
  
_Kamiya?_   
  
_Kaoru? Sango?_   
  
_They... no. He has to be wrong. It can't be them - they're in Tokyo! They have jobs; they didn't ever need to come here. It has to be something he heard incorrectly._   
  
Her quickened breathing and glazed eyes caused her companion to pause and ask, concerned, "Misao-san?"   
  
"T-Tenken-san... you're sure they're from the Kamiya dojo?" Her eyes cleared to focus with almost painful intensity. Again, his smile slipped.   
  
"Certain. I do not forget the name of schools."   
  
_Is this my fault?_   
  
"Where are they?" she demanded, pushing suddenly to her feet.     
  
    
  
    
  
"You flip with your wrist and allow it to fall gracefully open," Yumi instructed patiently. Much to Kaoru's relief, she was a very good teacher. If they struggled, she helped them through it. The only time she wasn't particularly kind was during their verbal sparring - her tongue had an edge that could probably slice the world apart.   
  
Kaoru sighed, wondering how her sister had managed the art of folding, unfolding, snapping, and flipping a fan so easily. She frowned at the dainty contraption in her hand, mightily annoyed.   
  
"Here, look." Sango reached over to touch her wrist gently. "You're moving too forcefully. Move with grace; the use of a fan is more like a dance."   
  
She tried again, attempting to smooth the edges of her movement. Finally, the fan fell open, though without any elegant flair. "Ah!"   
  
However, Yumi was frowning slightly. Not with her mouth, but with her brows, carefully knitted together. "Kaoru, you _do_ practice with the sword, don't you?"   
  
She hesitated, tilting her head. "Of course - I've told you that."   
  
"Have you done much with forms?"   
  
"Yes, though Sango knows more of the art than I. She is still teaching me the advanced lessons," Kaoru admitted. Her father had died too early to teach her the last techniques.   
  
"I see," the older woman said delicately. Then she cleared her throat. "There are three different Summons. Now, when you hold your fan point down, inner flesh of your wrist exposed, thus--" she turned her wrist gracefully, pointing her closed fan somewhere ahead and to the ground. "It is a summons to one of higher rank. However, if you only do a half-turn, it is to one of equal rank. And if your inner wrist points to the ground," and she demonstrated, "it is twofold. Either a subtle insult, or a beckons to those of lower rank." She cleared her throat gently. "Very few know of the fan language anymore, but those who do will notice such subtleties immediately."   
  
Kaoru nodded slightly. It didn't seem so hard.   
  
"Now, if your wrist faces up and you move the fan into an arc, from right to left, it is a request for privacy. This would be the Tea Circle." Her brows arched. "If used, however, on a _man_ - it is an invitation for privacy of another sort." The younger girls blushed.   
  
Yumi sat back elegantly, unfurling her fan and making a lazy outward motion with it, as though to gesture to anyone sitting in a half-circle before her. "Intimacy," she said succinctly, snapping her fan shut. "You are telling without words that you trust those with you explicitly." She smiled then. "Now. Scenarios..." She ignored the groans from the two girls. "If you wish to have the upper hand on others here, you need to know this, even if you never use it. Now. Kaoru and Sango, you two are involved in a minor flirtation with a soldier of decent rank. I," and her brow arched, "am fairly indifferent toward you both, though I myself have taken interest in this soldier. I greet you thus."   
  
The older woman stood and adopted a lazy stance, settling most of her weight on one foot and spreading her fan in a quick gesture as she motioned toward her pupils, pointing somewhat downward, with her inner wrist exposed.   
  
Sango frowned slightly--"School your expression!" - and immediately banished it from her lips, though there was an odd look in her eyes. Kaoru bit her lip.   
  
_It's a Summons, but the fan is unfolded - and even so, it's to one of higher rank. What does it mean? Is it mocking?_   
  
"School your expression!" the phrase snapped out again. She smoothed her features and, with another quick glance at her sister, closed her fan in a prim gesture and moved it in a full circle, ending with her wrist pointing at the ground and her fan slightly upraised.   
  
The older girl took the hint almost before she made the movement, and mimicked Yumi's gesture with the fan, affecting a bored look.   
  
"Very nice," came the smooth approval. "A combination of Closed Session and mocking summons to a high rank - the insult there is in that they will believe you do not understand the fan. Both ways she is subtly shunned. Good thinking; I'm surprised you realized Closed Session could be used that way, Kaoru."   
  
"It was the only thing that came to mind," she admitted sheepishly, nervously fingering her fan.   
  
"Well, much of the fan language cannot be learned with its subtleties and uses. Creating your own and analyzing other's is the majority of it." Yumi returned to her seat. "Sango - why did you mimic my gesture?"   
  
"The reason was twofold," came the immediate response. "Both to mock your use of it, and to submit myself to you - while my body language contradicted that statement."   
  
"Threefold," she was corrected. "Your second reason has two sides - any in the room could see your disregard of her, but any knowledgeable of the fan can see its deeper meaning."   
  
"Everything's so complicated," Kaoru grumbled. "All these politics just amongst us women..."   
  
She jumped as the door slammed open, and snapped her head around to gaze over her shoulder at the newcomer.     
  
    
  
    
  
Misao's eyes blurred as two familiar forms appeared before her.   
  
Kaoru.   
  
Sango.   
  
The two girls she would have never wished to follow her here, and they were standing before her. With smiles curving their lips and genuine welcome dawning over the surprise in their eyes.   
  
They shouldn't be happy to see her. Not if she was the reason for their coming. Not if she had spawned this new arc of their lives.   
  
They were both standing now, moving with the steady, familiar grace of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu. Kaoru's eyes were as blue and bright as ever, with faint strain etched in their depths; a sadness that could not be hidden from a fellow sufferer.   
  
And Sango...she still had that quiet air of competence and strength, more so than the younger Kamiya daughter. Her gaze was still warm, direct, all-encompassing. Almost, Misao could miss the dark flickers, nearly drowned by the genuine joy flashing in honey-warm eyes.   
  
"Misao-chan!" they both called, surprised delight evident in their near-identical tones.   
  
"Kaoru-chan, Sango-chan!" She forced a smile to her face, painfully aware of Soujirou's presence behind her, and Yumi's beyond her childhood friends.   
  
"We've been trying to get hold of you, but you were always out," the older of the two was saying as she stepped forward to grab Misao's hands and squeeze them gently. "Either practicing or at a dinner invitation, in fact."   
  
"I only just heard that you two came," she admitted, returning the pressure. "Seta Soujirou, better known as Tenken..." she turned to introduce him, "informed me. How long have you been here?" All the questions she _really_ wanted to ask, she couldn't. Not with their present company. And so she quickly dispensed with the introduction, feeling both impatience and dread flipping through her belly.   
  
She desperately wanted to know everything, but... if she was right about the reason they'd come to Kyoto, the shame and guilt would be too much to shoulder. _They can't be here of their own free will. It's impossible - not with what we _do_ here. So they didn't know what was waiting for them. Even then, it's my fault for not telling them the truth, if they hadn't come because of me._ She flinched a little at that thought as Tenken's voice touched her ears.   
  
"I'm afraid I have business to attend to with Kamatari-san, so I need to ask your pardons."   
  
"Of course," Yumi cut in. "And I need to find Megumi. Girls, don't have too much fun while I'm gone," she cautioned, with a warm smile, flicking her fan slightly in Closed Circle. Misao's brows arched as she recognized the gesture; the older woman was approving their reunion.   
  
"We won't," they chorused, much the children chastised by their mother. The room cleared on Yumi's soft laughter, leaving Misao with the two people she needed and dreaded to speak with.   
  
"Kaoru-chan..." she began, only to find the other two saying her name.   
  
They chuckled nervously, and Misao cleared her throat. "That is to say, how did you get here?"   
  
As expected, two pairs of dancing eyes immediately darkened. Sango gestured her to take a seat. "It's a little bit of a story - but actually, we wanted to ask you how you've been since you came here." When the younger girl opened her mouth to protest, she added softly, "Please, Misao-chan. We want to know. You don't need to hide it from us anymore."     
  
    
  
    
  
*`*`*`*`*`     
  
    
  
    
  
**CJ's Blurb:** I know some of you are looking at me like... what? Canon pairings? What's going on? - Well, the story is that I had a few scenes I _desperately_ wanted to write come into my head when I was sleeping, and they require K/B A/M pairings for it. *sighs* Well not so much K/B A/M as much as K/B Sango/Saitou, which basically puts Misao with Aoshi anyway. Make any sense? Anyhoo, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. It was hell for me to write, and I'm sorry if it flows with a little too much drama - it was the only way to get my 'creative juices' flowing. Even if it didn't flow much. *mutters quietly to herself about that*   
  
_REVISED 02/09/04 for format_


	3. War Arc: Part III

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters borrowed from Rurouni Kenshin, nor the single character borrowed from Inuyasha. In fact, I don't even own Rurouni Kenshin or Inuyasha. So there.   
  
- Romance / Drama / Angst - Alternate Universe -   
  
**Summary:** Three young women are brought into a town of assassins and soldiers, where they find life is far different than that of their sheltered home. In the midst of war and chaos, they find hope and love to stand against anything... even it not being returned.   
  
**Rating:** Very "R". Sexual situations, language, violence. Yes, that's right - sex and violence. Don't like, don't read.     
  
    
  
    
  
~`~`~`~`   
  
**To Find a Dream: War Arc**   
     Part III
  
  
~`~`~`~`     
  
    
  
    
  
Kaoru snuck through the halls with a vague feeling of guilt. _Sango would be _furious_ if she knew I was going down to the river so often,_ she thought, glancing over her shoulder uneasily. Although the bracelet on her wrist proclaimed to all and sundry that she was _not to be touched_, it was still dangerous to leave the building's security. Of course, in her opinion, it was also dangerous to stay inside all the time and not get doses of fresh air and sunlight. She would go crazy if they didn't allow her outside. After she passed the safety point of the servant's back entry, the young woman pulled her skirts up and darted into the garden, making her way with sure steps to her spot on the riverbank.   
  
Something prickled along her spine, telling her that she was being watched. But she shrugged off the feeling - no one was ever here but for the servants. Another quick glance over her shoulder before she made her way down the gently inclining hill to finally come to a stop at the water's edge. She breathed deeply of the fresh air, closing her eyes and raising her face to be caressed by the sunlight. _Freedom,_ she thought happily, kicking off her sandals to relish the feel of sun-warmed grass beneath her feet.   
  
The past month had gone by with amazing haste after their adaptation to their new life. Megumi and Yumi had been essential in their learning the ways of the harem, and knowing who to steer away from. They also diverted attention to themselves in a selfless attempt to allow the Kirishima girls more time to get used to their new... job. It was much easier to think of it as a job than anything else.   
  
_Especially_ after Yumi had sat the two sisters down to talk about what exactly happened between a man and woman, how to keep from getting pregnant (those vile herbal concoctions had to be consumed _daily_ except during their woman's bleeding!), and how to pleasure men in various ways. Her cheeks had been _burning_ with embarrassment after that. She'd even been invited to "watch", in order to learn some of the things she'd been told, but had flatly refused. Though she thought Sango had disappeared with Yumi and one of the latter's more persistent admirers.   
  
Kaoru wriggled comfortably in the grass before falling back, resting an arm over her eyes. It was nice to be here and simply relax. She didn't even have to worry about running into Misao. Not that it was normally a problem, but their relationship had been somewhat strained because of her friend's embarrassment and horrified guilt at having dragged the sisters to Kyoto.   
  
They were getting over it now, especially once Misao had been assured that neither girl blamed her for their predicament, but when Kaoru wanted to relax, she didn't want to deal with anything. She gave a soft little sigh. So far, she'd been lucky and hadn't had to deal with any propositions. Either Megumi or Yumi had been there to stave them off. Even without them, however, she was still being given enough money to send home to Yahiko each month. The small packet was what Megumi called 'pin money' that they were supposed to use on themselves.   
  
She pulled her arm from her eyes and lifted her wrist, inspecting the little bracelet she'd been given. Her name had been engraved into the platinum band; it was really a work of art, despite what it represented. She brushed a finger idly over the decorations, smiling faintly.   
  
_"Oh, those? It's an old joke... that women smelled and felt like roses, but their words stung like thorns. It's a silly thing, I suppose."_ Yumi had laughed when Kaoru had put the question to her. It _was_ rather amusing, really. Shaking her head slightly, she stared up at the sky, eyes dancing over the clouds.   
  
Though she managed to hide her discontent from her sister, she was still occasionally feeling lonely and depressed. This life wasn't one she'd ever dreamed about! The idea of using her body for money still made her shudder, and she highly doubted she would be able to... perform well, when the time came. But she had to try. Sango, she knew, was also strung tight over the entire ordeal, but as the elder, she took to her duties with a grim sort of determination. Father had always said she would have made a fine samurai, if she had ever been born a man.   
  
Kaoru reached for a lock of hair, twirling it absently around her finger. The elegant coiffure Megumi had teased and forced the silky tresses into was still intact, but she hated it. She missed having her hair swing freely down her back, or flying in the wind. She felt too confined. And that was the biggest problem - she was stuck in a cage, and probably would be for all her foreseeable future. She'd already thrown away her dreams of a husband and family as much as she'd been able, though her heart still ached for such a life. There never would be one for her. She would die unmarried because of _this_. Misao and Sango were the same way. But...   
  
_At least Yahiko will be happy,_ she thought. _If I stay away from him when he is fully grown, he will not have to contend with my fallen self and will be able to find a good wife. His children will grow to be happy and he will bring the dojo back up from the ground._ She smiled. Her younger brother had a talent for the sword, and she knew his grasp of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu was immaculate, even if he was only 10. Of course, she and Sango would have to return someday to teach him the succession techniques her father had taught her older sister, but...   
  
That was a thought for another time. For now she needed to try to find contentment. Letting out a little groan, she sat up, tucking her legs beneath her and pulling at the laces of her bodice to keep her dress from biting into her ribs. She inhaled deeply, consciously relaxing the muscles of her neck and shoulders. Her father had taught her how to meditate when she was a child, but she rarely used the skill. It was, she had always privately thought, _boring_. But she had to admit that the ability to clear her mind and think calmly was a good one.   
  
Kaoru tried to empty her thoughts of all but the soothing sound of the river. Unfortunately, little things kept tugging at her attention. The sound of the wind catching at the fallen leaves, or a distant shout that she thought probably came from the garrison, in perhaps some training facility. _Concentrate,_ she scolded herself, taking another deep breath and letting it out slowly.   
  
The sharp scent of grass, the feel of the wind cooling her heated cheeks, the soft silk against her skin. The faint, nagging pounding at the back of her head, the tense knot in her belly - all faded as she forced herself to float in a wave of tranquility. Finally she began to bring out her thoughts.   
  
_Misao._ She was first on her mind today. The girl had felt so uncomfortable in her presence of late, and she needed to fix that somehow. But how would that be possible? She'd tried everything to get her old friend to be the carefree girl she'd been before, but nothing had helped. Perhaps if they sat down and had a good talk? Maybe once Kaoru confessed her feelings and fears, Misao would realize that she was still a human being, and not a demon in disguise, ready to pounce once a wrong move was made. Yes - she would need to talk to her childhood friend. That wouldn't be so bad, really. Kaoru needed someone to confide in, someone who wouldn't judge her. Megumi and Yumi were wonderful, but she was a little in awe of their complete adaptation to the harem life. And Misao was still not completely adapted - she still felt the anger and sadness that came with their new positions...   
  
_Sango._ Her older sister seemed to have everything in hand, but _did_ she? Kaoru couldn't really believe that. She was certain that her sibling was holding everything inside. There wasn't much to do about that - only pray that someone would be there when she broke. _She won't confide in me, because I'm the little sister she wants to protect. No matter that I'm seventeen now and perfectly able to take some responsibility on my own shoulders. She still thinks of me as her baby sister._   
  
_My own feelings..._ She didn't hesitate in the solitude of her own mind. _I feel angry and upset. I feel betrayed by my own self. I don't like this at all and I hate having to pretend. But I'm getting better. There's nothing I can do to change this, and fighting it really won't help me at all, like Sango said. I just need to accept it. Sometimes I don't want to, because it feels like I'm just rolling over and allowing myself to be stepped on, but I have to in this case. I have to do everything I can to be happy and perhaps salvage some of my old life while making it in this new one. Clinging to the could-have-beens won't help me. It won't help Yahiko._   
  
_...am I upset that I have to give up my own dreams and happiness for him? No, not really. He's too young to be able to take care of himself, and I have to face up to that responsibility now. He's my family._ She smiled faintly. _When he gets older, he'll probably throw a fit that we did this for him, but that won't be for a while yet. I know he would have done anything to keep us from leaving had he known what was in store for us. And maybe if he hadn't been sick at the time._ They'd sent a letter to him, a very careful one editing out their mishaps, telling him that they were fine and that they hoped he was as well. It was too bad that he couldn't respond to them, the way Kyoto was isolated.   
  
She thought of what was expected of her now. _I don't know if I can do everything I'm supposed to. Keep them company? Yes, I can do that - I can be there to talk and listen, and I can help them. But..._ She wanted to shy at the next thought. _Can I do _that_ with a man I don't love? I remember when Mama was pregnant with Yahiko, how she absolutely glowed. And she said that she could only have children because she loved Daddy so much. I never understood her then, but I do now, I think._   
  
_If I can't do it, though... I won't be able to stay here, where I am. I'll be kicked out, and then I'll be at the mercy of _any_ man. I have to be able to grit my teeth and do this. But Yumi says I can't just _endure_ it, like wives do... that I have to do everything I can to make sure _he_ enjoys it. Everything is for him._   
  
She gazed unseeingly over the water, shivering a little at some remembered snippets of conversation. She still hadn't even seen a man naked before, and was somewhat unsure as to how some things were supposed to be done. Yumi had assured her that she would understand once she was in the position, but still...   
  
...   
  
_"One more thing," she added with a smile. "You both are virgins, right?" Blushing, Kaoru and Sango nodded. "That means everyone's going to want to be your first, so you want to keep that knowledge to yourself if you don't want a horde of men running after you. Even though you both _are_ innocent, if you don't act like it, you have a better chance of slipping through this with as few men as possible."_   
  
_"I don't understand," Kaoru objected. "Wouldn't men like women that are more... experienced?" Her cheeks were still crimson from the entire subject._   
  
_The older woman laughed softly. "You have a lot to know about men. Just trust me, Kaoru."_   
  
...   
  
Ah, the complexities. She sighed, bringing her mind from the self-inflicted trance, feeling suddenly bone-weary. Though she hadn't thought very _much_, the emotional stress of everything she _had_ wondered about had sapped all her energy. A glance up at the sky told her that she hadn't been meditating for very long. A faint smile curved her lips as she curled onto her side, feeling like a child again. It was nice to simply relax like this, to lie on the grass without a care in the world.   
  
Except that... someone was watching her.   
  
She kept herself from stiffening, but the faint prickle at the back of her neck had returned. Slowly, she pushed herself to her feet, stretching slowly and casually. _Where is he?_ She flicked a stray strand of hair over her shoulder and turned easily, flicking her eyes over her surroundings quickly, taking everything in. She hesitated when she saw a tall, man-shaped figure near a tree, taking a protective step back when he detached himself.   
  
_I recognize him,_ she thought after a moment. It was hard _not_ to remember him; the odd, striped clothing and the grotesque mask covering his face. Something vaguely resembling fear fluttered in her belly, and she took another step back, before steeling herself to stand still. She knew that she'd only seen him because he'd _wanted_ her to see him, which brought up the question of _why_.   
  
"Good afternoon," she greeted calmly, as though they had just been passing by. He inclined his head politely.   
  
"Good afternoon, Kaoru-sama."   
  
Kaoru... sama? Her brows arched slightly, and she wondered if he was mocking her. Instead of asking, she kept a polite smile curving her lips as she stood there, waiting patiently for him to appease her curiosity.   
  
They stayed at this impasse for a long moment, before he bowed before her slightly, a mere inclination of his torso. "May I offer my compliments, Kaoru-sama?" At the faint flicker of confusion in her eyes, he made a slight motion of one gloved hand. "Ah, so you do not know."   
  
"Obviously." The chill in her voice should have frozen him, but he simply chuckled.   
  
"My apologies for interrupting your meditation." It seemed he wasn't going to enlighten her on this thing she didn't know. Biting back her initial retort, she managed a serene smile.   
  
"Your apology is accepted." She lifted a brow coolly. "Was there a reason for this... chance meeting, or shall I leave now?"   
  
He hesitated, before taking a step to the side. "No reason, Kaoru-sama. Please, have a nice day." He bowed again, the polite gesture irking her extremely. Refusing to show it, she murmured platitudes before sweeping off to the direction of the large building, lifting her chin haughtily in the air.   
  
Although she was nothing more than a harem member, she _hated_ being toyed with. Her eyes held a simmering fury as she began to hunt down either Megumi or Yumi, who would perhaps know who this masked man was. And how dare he watch her during her private moments?   
  
So encompassed was she in her anger that Kaoru didn't notice Misao until she bumped into her. Hard. "Ow!" She winced, rubbing her forehead. "Ah! Misao-chan?"   
  
"Yeah." The other girl was also rubbing her head, pouting a little. "That hurt."   
  
"I'm sorry." The older woman grimaced, before managing a real smile. _I need to talk to her,_ she remembered. "Hey, Misao-chan? Are you busy?"   
  
"Me? No. Actually, I was just looking for you." She laughed nervously, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She'd taken it from the confines of her braid and allowed the silky curls to fall to her knees in unbridled splendor. Kaoru bit back a sigh - they'd always been jealous of Misao's hair.   
  
"Oh? What for?"   
  
"I figured that we... probably needed to talk. I don't like how we've been..." She made a slicing motion with her hand. "We've been so distant."   
  
Kaoru looped her arm through her younger friend's with a soft chuckle. "That's odd, because I was thinking the same thing a little earlier." Very gently, she began steering her toward the solar. Very few people ever went there, and it was a nice place for privacy when one needed a serious conversation. Surprisingly, more men appeared there than women, though it had been made with the females in mind.   
  
"Actually, I had a question," she went on, thinking back to her odd encounter by the river. "Do you know of a man who wears a mask and odd, striped clothing?"   
  
Misao frowned slightly in thought. "I've seen him around before, but I can't remember his name." She slowed her steps to the delicate gait that Kaoru had taken two weeks to adopt, under the rigorous training and stern eye of Yumi. _"You need to act feminine in order to catch the eye. I know that's not what you want, but it's what you have to do, and I won't let you shirk those duties."_   
  
"Hmm." Kaoru quickly recounted her meeting with him, causing her friend's thoughtful frown to deepen. "I'm pretty sure he was watching me since I went outside, because I remember thinking someone had their eyes on me. I just don't see why he would."   
  
"Well," Misao ventured slowly, "A lot of men will have their... subordinates tell one of us to come to their rooms. They're all busy people, so it's not so surprising. If that's what he was going to do, though, I don't see why he didn't." She shook her head slightly. "I guess you'll just have to wait. All I can think of is that you have an admirer." The sympathetic glance went a long way to soothing Kaoru's feelings, and she smiled slightly.   
  
"I hope not," she said lightly, her smile widening at her friend's soft laugh. "I really want another... five or so years to adjust before I have to worry about this particular brand of suitors."   
  
"Unfortunately, I don't think you'll be as lucky as I've been," Misao murmured, once again sober. "I've had two months and the only thing I've done is keep Tenken company for a few evenings. Nice guy, though I think he really represses his emotions too much. That can't be healthy for him."   
  
"Tenken..." Her brow furrowed slightly as she tried to match the name to a face, finally remembering the man she'd seen during the girls' reunion. "Oh! Seta Soujirou? The one who's always smiling? He is nice," she agreed. "But you're right. When he lets his guard down, it's going to hurt him. I don't think anyone's ever seen him be anything but happy."   
  
"All he wants to do was hear me talk," Misao mused. "He does seem a little contemplative, but not overly much. He laughs a lot. But I can tell that there's something beyond that, something he probably doesn't even realize is there. I can't really do anything about it, though." She shrugged slightly.   
  
Kaoru relaxed, realizing that, for the first time since she'd come to Kyoto, they were having a conversation without being stilted and formal. "We can only do as much as we are able. Father told us that several times when we were younger." She flashed a quick grin. "I remember how you used to be so angry because you were short, and how he'd just laugh and say that you had to make do with what you'd been given."   
  
Misao groaned and shook her head. "Don't dredge up those memories. I know you remember perfectly well what I did in response to him saying _that_." She rolled her eyes, recalling some... occurrences with local boys around her age, in grumpy revenge for not being tall.   
  
The older girl giggled as they reached the door leading to the solar. "All right, I won't," she agreed amiably, sliding the door open and slipping inside. She blinked a little at the brightness of the room, waiting for her eyes to adjust. Almost immediately the two men standing and talking quietly on the other side of the room caught her attention. They glanced up at the girls' entry.   
  
"I'm sorry," she apologized quickly. "We didn't mean to intrude..."   
  
The taller of the two shook his head and made a slight gesture of welcome. Kaoru smiled politely and gently tugged Misao to a pile of cushions surrounding a low-set table, watching the men out of the corner of her eye. The one who had gestured for them to take a seat seemed to be doing the same, causing the younger girl to flush slightly at the attention. She hadn't reacted that way to anyone else, but then again, very few of the men were as handsome as this one.   
  
Another quick glance gave her all the necessary details. Dark hair fell carelessly around his face, bangs falling almost in his eyes - he was too far away for her to note their color. He didn't seem to be overly muscular, though neither was he slender; broad shoulders tapered to lean hips and long legs. _Powerful_, she thought, almost dazed by the raw sex appeal he exuded without apparent thought. It was almost enough to make her overlook the longsword strapped to his back. Odd; she wouldn't have thought him the type, but scabbards didn't lie.   
  
"Conservative, isn't he?" Misao spoke softly, her lips barely moving.   
  
"What?" Kaoru blinked at her in confusion.   
  
"Shinomori Aoshi, the Okashira of the Oniwabanshu." The younger girl lowered herself gracefully to the cushions, easily flaring her skirts about her in an attractive manner. It was second nature for her by now, though Kaoru still had to think about it before she sat. Which she did now, flaring her own skirts with a nimble flick of two wrists as she knelt onto the soft pillow. "His clothes. The high neck; you can't even see a bit of his chest." Misao grinned at her friend's blush. "I know you were looking. I was."   
  
She coughed a little. "Misao-chan!" she protested in a fierce whisper, absolutely determined to _not_ look.   
  
"The other guy's not so bad, either, even if he is a little short." Aquamarine eyes danced, though her expression was properly demure. "I'm not sure if all that red hair is to my taste, though. But the scar is rather dashing."   
  
"Misao-chan..." she nearly strangled on her friend's name as she raised a cool hand to one burning cheek. _Blushing just because we're _talking_ about men? This is a change._ "That's enough, Misao-chan," she uttered firmly, azure eyes determined. Unfortunately, she couldn't sneak another look in their direction - _He might be short, but he's just as sexy as that Aoshi._   
  
The younger girl smirked a little before giving her head a slight toss. "Embarrassed?" she murmured out of the side of her mouth. Then she paused, blinking as a stray thought entered her head. "Oh!"   
  
"What?" A little concerned, Kaoru leaned forward. "Misao-chan?"   
  
"I just remembered." She lowered her voice further. "That guy you met earlier? He's part of the Oniwabanshu."   
  
"So?" Then she paused. "Oh." _If that Shinomori Aoshi is the leader of the man I met earlier, and if Aoshi is my admirer..._ The blood rushed to her cheeks once again. "It's good to know," she said lamely, before trying to change the subject. "Listen, about everything..."   
  
Misao immediately shook her head. "Don't worry about it. We don't really need to talk." She smiled shyly. "I realized that everything was because _I_ was being so stilted. Look at us now - it's like nothing changed."   
  
Kaoru reached over to place her hand over her friend's, squeezing lightly. "It's good to have you back," she admitted with sincere pleasure.   
  
"Now." Misao grinned. "About Shinomori Aoshi..."     
  
    
  
    
  
His eyes flickered to the women talking quietly on the other side of the room. He had listened to every word of their conversation, despite their low voices; his training in the Oniwabanshu had heightened his hearing. Neither he nor Battousai were talking about anything particularly important, so he indulged himself in watching one of the newest arrivals in the harem.   
  
"Our leader has good taste," he noted after a moment, faintly amused by his companion's disinterest. Himura Battousai glanced briefly toward them.   
  
"I suppose so," he agreed. It had been long a topic of conversation, his apparent indifference toward the female sex. Not that he much cared for men, either - he simply was not interested. His hand rested lightly on the hilt of his katana in an absent gesture Aoshi was familiar with. He'd often done the same with his kodachi, until he'd become attached to the double kodachi strapped across his back in a long scabbard.   
  
"You have not partaken of the harem's fruits in a while," he noted. "I have heard that Takani Megumi has been quite out of sorts."   
  
Battousai blinked a little, amber eyes glinting in the light. He shrugged. "I never requested her presence before, so I see no difference."   
  
For such a brutally efficient assassin, he could be rather daft in the department of women. He had not noticed Megumi's slight infatuation with him, much less Sanosuke's ardent pursuance of her. "Of course," he murmured, knowing that the irony would be lost on his companion and sometimes-friend. "Saitou was sent on another mission this morning."   
  
"Oh?" Battousai's features sharpened immediately in interest. "Who?"   
  
"I hear the ambassador they sent to Raneire has returned, and such an alliance needs to be taken out quickly before they manage to fight against us." Aoshi's face was as immobile as ever, but the flame-haired man was still able to read the slight signs in his face.   
  
"So, Raneire is getting edgy over the civil turmoil," he murmured. "They want to end it quickly so their trade isn't jeopardized. They rely on the silk they get from us, don't they?" The slightest nod. "Interesting. But we will not act directly against them, of course - we will need them once we set up the government." Another slight inclination of his head. "So, Saitou, hmm? He took Okita with him, didn't he?"   
  
Aoshi arched a brow. "You're almost getting good enough to be one of the Oniwabanshu, Battousai."   
  
"Your compliments astound me," he replied dryly. "Okita was speaking of a mission last night; it was an easy deduction to make."   
  
"Hmm. Tell me, what can you deduce of the two over there?"   
  
Himura glanced toward the women, a faint line appearing in his forehead. "What about them?"   
  
"Just tell me what you've noticed."   
  
He took another sharp glance, before turning his tawny gaze to the Oniwabanshu's leader. "The younger has been here longer, though she respects the other. They are close friends, possibly from before their arrival in Kyoto, and do not want us to hear their conversation. The older does not seem to want to continue the topic at hand, and is highly embarrassed."   
  
Aoshi nodded slightly. "Not bad. And you realize this how?"   
  
Battousai leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest as he wondered what his friend was getting at. "It is easy to see that the younger respects the older because of her body language. She defers to her. However, despite the other's wish to stop talking, she's continuing to tease her - that shows a close relationship, and a knowledge of where the line lies. As I cannot remember either of them being here before our last mission, it makes sense that they knew each other before coming to Kyoto. They also speak with their voices lowered so we cannot hear, and by the blush on the older girl's cheeks, she's embarrassed."   
  
"Not bad at all," he murmured. "However, can you tell me what they are talking about?"   
  
He seemed faintly annoyed by this. "No."   
  
"Observe. The first woman keeps glancing our way, and each time she does, she blushes even more fiercely. Also, she is fiddling with her hair, trying to smooth it and make sure it is not out of place. I would have to wager they are talking about us." His brows arched as the slender man turned for another quick glance.   
  
"I would have to disagree," he said after a moment. "They are talking about _you_."   
  
Instead of getting into a juvenile argument - as they were wont to do when Battousai tried to employ logistical thinking - he pushed away from the window to make his way toward the women in question.     
  
    
  
    
  
"Misao-chan!" Kaoru fought the urge to stamp her feet, which wasn't possible the way she was sitting anyway. "Will you _stop_ it?"   
  
"You're no fun," the younger girl muttered, finally leaning back. "It's not my fault you can't keep your eyes off him."   
  
"If you'd stop talking about him, maybe I would," she sniped, pulling her hand guiltily away from a stray curl resting on her shoulder. _Stop fussing or he'll notice._ "Can we please talk about something else?"   
  
"Like what?" Misao arched her brows in amusement.   
  
"Like - you haven't asked about your father," Kaoru parried desperately. Her companion frowned slightly.   
  
"Kaoru-chan, you don't _know_ how he is. He disappeared when I was a child."   
  
"Oh," she mumbled, deflated, her mind racing for a new topic of conversation. "How did you meet Yumi?" she finally asked, feeling slightly triumphant.   
  
A ragged sigh answered her question. The sound reminded her of a young child deprived of a new and exciting toy. "She was the one who helped me get on my feet when I first came to Kyoto," Misao obediently began. "She does that with a lot of the younger girls who didn't know what they were getting into. Megumi, too."   
  
"Yes, they would." Azure eyes softened. "Both of them have hearts of gold. And they're strong people, to have endured all this without being bitter and cynical. They still care."   
  
"I know." The younger girl's smile flashed, a blindingly bright, cheerful expression that everyone in Tokyo remembered. Makimachi Misao had been adored by everyone with her laughter and ability to keep everyone's spirits up. "They're wonderful. In fact, they're the ones who introduced Tenken to me. It helped a lot, going in to be his companion. I'm not nearly as nervous as I was." She hesitated. "Well, I still am a little, but... not as much."   
  
Kaoru nodded. "I can understand that, I suppose. I'm deathly afraid of what'll happen when someone really pursues me," she admitted, a faint frown curving her lips. "I really hope I'll be able to... you know." She sighed and blushed. "Yumi... talked to me about it. But..." she struggled for the words. "I was so embarrassed when she talked to me. How am I supposed to be able to... to do all that if..." she moved her hands helplessly.   
  
"I don't know," Misao sighed, but smiled wickedly. "Then again, if I had someone like Shinomori Aoshi pursuing me..."   
  
"Misao-chan!" _I should have known she wouldn't stay off the topic more than a few minutes._ Her steely blue glare cowed the younger girl for a moment, until the silence was suddenly broken by a male voice.   
  
"Excuse me."   
  
Kaoru gave a surprised half-jump, falling to her side as her head jerked sharply to the side to regard the tall man standing beside her. She lifted a hand to her heart, feeling its rapid beat as she spat without thinking, "Be careful! You could have given me a heart attack!" She blushed immediately as she realized what she said. "My apologies..."   
  
"No, no, please allow us to give ours," the other man was saying, discreetly elbowing the first in the ribs. He bowed politely. "We should not have scared you so."   
  
"No, it's all right," she protested weakly, brushing her bangs out of her eyes and sending her childhood companion a single, fulminating look. "I was just a little tense, that's all. Hello," she struggled to mend the breach, "my name is Kaoru." She held out her hand, only to have it swept up by the red-haired man who had so elegantly apologized. She blushed as he brushed a light kiss across her knuckles, feeling the heat of contact in her bones. _Oh, my._   
  
"Kaoru-dono, it is a pleasure." He glanced toward Misao with a meaningfully arched brow.   
  
"Misao," Kaoru supplied, when she realized the younger girl wasn't fast enough.   
  
"Misao-dono." He took her hand as well to give it similar treatment. "Himura Kenshin, and this is my companion." He jerked his head slightly toward the silent one. "Shinomori Aoshi."   
  
"A pleasure to meet you, Himura-san, Shinomori-san," she murmured, as the younger girl breathed soft greetings. "Please, won't you join us?" She gestured gracefully toward the extra cushions surrounding their small table.   
  
"If it would not be a bother." Shinomori was speaking now as he sat. _Next to Misao, thankfully,_ Kaoru thought.   
  
She desperately wished she had her fan. At least then she could hide half her face and hopefully all of her blush, which had taken permanent residence on her face since Kenshin - _no, no, Himura. His name is Himura_ - had settled on the other side of her. _Lovely,_ she thought grimly. _The one guy who puts those butterflies in my stomach, and he's _not_ the one pursuing me. But wait - then why is Shinomori next to Misao and not me? ... Oh, the headaches._   
  
"And how are you enjoying Kyoto?" he was asking her friend formally.   
  
"I would tell you," Misao admitted frankly, "but I haven't stepped foot out of the building."   
  
She tuned out their conversation - stilted as it was - as Himura turned his attention toward her. "Kaoru-dono... you are from the Tokyo area, I presume?"   
  
She paled. "Well, yes. Is it so obvious?" _Does he know me? My family?_   
  
"Your accent," he explained, noting her pallor but not commenting. She breathed a soft sigh of relief. The thought of someone actually recognizing her was a terrifying one.   
  
"I never noticed I had one," she said then, reaching up to brush her bangs from her face once again. They always seemed to irritate her when she was tense. Her eyes traveled to his thick shock of flaming hair, and she had the odd urge to brush it from his cheek. It was brushing against his scar. _Dashing - no! Scars mean fighting, they're not _sexy_ or anything._   
  
"I noticed." He fell into silence, and she brushed out her skirt nervously.   
  
"So... how did you meet Himura-san?" Misao asked Shinomori.   
  
"We work together."   
  
Brief, abrupt, and to the point.   
  
_Well, there's one question I can't ask now. They taught me how to keep up polite conversation, but I can't remember a thing!_ "Are you often in Kyoto, Himura-san?" Kaoru inquired, keeping her gaze on the table. She could feel his eyes on her, and wondered what he was thinking.   
  
"Occasionally," he allowed, seeming to suddenly relax. "I'm often busy lately."   
  
"Oh?" she lifted her head curiously.   
  
"The war," he explained succinctly. Color flared in her cheeks once again.   
  
_Of course. The way he moves, and observes... he's probably one of the assassins._ The thought made her pale once again. _Good God, what company am I keeping?_ "Silly me," she murmured, flustered. "Everyone here is busy because of the war."   
  
He inclined his head slightly, and she blurted, "Life changed at home, but no one was actually any _busier_, so I never really... thought about it..." _You're sounding like an idiot, Kaoru. Stop._ She bit her lip and glanced away. _A month! One month with Yumi and Megumi and all you can do is pratter like an idiot! Well, at least this will keep me safe, but honestly! Honestly! I wish I could just disappear... maybe into a grave and never come out. No, wait. Bad thought. He's a fighter, he could probably help me with that wish._   
  
She listened as Misao's laughter touched her ears. "Oh, no! Sanosuke keeps trying, but she's told him no at least five times now. We keep teasing her and saying that it's only to make sure his attention doesn't wane."   
  
"But would it not, if she always said no?" Shinomori was asking politely, with a faint gleam in his eyes saying that he didn't believe his own words. Her friend shook her head and laughed again.   
  
"You should know that men always want what they can't have," she scolded, peeking up at him from under her lashes.   
  
_Is she... flirting?_ Kaoru thought, astonished. Well, it wasn't so surprising - she had been in Kyoto far longer and was probably used to it. But still... she fidgeted a little, glancing at Himura to see that he was still gazing at her.   
  
"Do you believe Misao's words?" she asked lightly, tilting her head slightly to indicate the conversation going on beside them. He arched a brow and leaned back, resting his arm on an upraised knee.   
  
"I believe that it is often typical of men to pursue what they cannot attain, yes," he said after a moment, still watching her with his hooded eyes. They were the same amber of whiskey, but with an intelligence and intensity behind them that was almost unnerving. She shifted on her cushion and gave the slightest toss of her head, stiffening her spine.   
  
"Do you believe that, for Sagara Sanosuke, Megumi is unattainable?" she inquired with a faint lilt in her voice. _Oh, no. Now am _I_ flirting?_   
  
"If he continues at his current rate, yes," he admitted bluntly, after a moment of thought. She lowered her lashes, a faint smile curving her lips.   
  
"Then how do you think he should pursue her, Himura-san?" Her tone was artlessly curious, the question elaborately casual. But the game had been brought to a second plane.   
  
He was silent. "Many women enjoy romance," Shinomori said instead, slowly, with the appearance of giving much thought. "Takani Megumi is likely one who does, and would also be partial to quiet dinners and intellectual conversation. If I had to guess, she would also be one to enjoy light flirtation."   
  
She continued to keep her eyes veiled as she gently ran her fingers over a cushion, tapping them in a rhythm only she could hear. Misao interjected at that point, "And if Sanosuke were too _bold_ and blunt, she would reject him out of hand, you believe?"   
  
Himura smiled then, sending a faint thrill down her spine. Though she kept her lashes covering her eyes and any expressions they might emit, she could still see him clearly. "I believe that if he were just _bold_ enough, Megumi would enjoy it." His voice dropped. "Especially were his boldness received at the right time... and place." Though he answered the other girl, his eyes still rested on Kaoru, telling them both who he was truly speaking to.   
  
Welcome to the third plane. _Can I play this game?_ she wondered. "If he managed to stay in her good graces until such a time and place were agreeable to her," Kaoru bantered, glancing up at him coquettishly. Her lips were still faintly curved, and she noticed that his eyes were lingering on her mouth as she spoke. "I believe he would need to give her enough romance and attention for quite a time beforehand before she would allow his previous actions to be dropped in her mind." _And thrust,_ she thought triumphantly as she saw Shinomori twitch slightly out of the corner of her eye. A subtle allusion to the man who she had met earlier. _So he was sent to me. But why?_   
  
"And if all his previous actions were done in the thought that she would enjoy them?" Shinomori murmured. The light mask over the odd, four-way flirting had become nearly transparent, and she knew Misao and Himura were listening avidly.   
  
"Perhaps it would need to be proven before she could accept that," she returned smoothly, finally raising her eyes to meet her opponent's. Navy met aquamarine in a taunting battle; she aloof, his intently probing.   
  
"Then I do believe he would need to devise a plan to do such," he said finally, after a second of thought.   
  
_Point: Kaoru._ "If he needs a _plan_, then perhaps it was a lie," she said, so sweetly that he was taken aback. But only for a moment, before Himura spoke up, his tone slow and easy.   
  
"If _Megumi_ were to believe that, perhaps she would need to learn to be a little more forgiving." She fought a wince. _Point: Himura Kenshin._   
  
"Or perhaps she must learn to be a little less cynical," Shinomori parried, once again having picked up his part. _And another point - Shinomori Aoshi. But the game isn't over._   
  
"That may be so," she agreed demurely, turning her shoulder on him with regal hauteur as she bestowed a warm smile on the slighter man. "Himura-san, would it be much of a burden to ask for an escort to my rooms? One never knows when unexpected, _unwanted_ company will appear." Another subtle barb in Shinomori's direction for sending his man to find her earlier, giving her the win as he didn't respond.   
  
"Never a burden, Kaoru-dono," he protested, standing immediately as he bowed his leave of Misao and his friend.   
  
"Actually," the younger girl lied, glancing at the Oniwabanshu leader's contemplative expression, "I believe I wanted to talk to Sango. Isn't her room beside yours?"   
  
"She'll be delighted to have you," Kaoru murmured as the trio left the room. She didn't bother glancing over her shoulder; that would undermine her victory. And it sang sweet in her blood as she glided through the halls.   
  
~`~`~`~`~`   
  
Sango ran the comb easily through her sister's straight ebony tresses. "So this Shinomori Aoshi seems to be interested in you?" she asked, somewhat amused.   
  
"Enough to send a man out to check me out, it seems," she replied, absently twirling a leaf in her fingers. The flower gardens were deserted, the majority of its beauty gone with the late autumn's coming. "I'm not so certain of how interested he is now, though, after the exhibit in the solar." She laughed softly. "I hope he isn't, because I don't think I'd mind if Himura-san pursued me."   
  
"Really?" She noted the curious fact with surprise. Kaoru hadn't even been close to truly accepting their position since the last time they'd even touched on the subject, but now she was openly admitting to hoping that she would have a second chance at a near-dangerous flirting game. Her brows arched slightly at that as she continued to brush the waist-length strands, ignoring the wind's attempts at playing with the silken locks. "Isn't he the one who never talks with the women? I've seen him before - he doesn't seem to like talking very much."   
  
"You're probably right. We went silent a few times," her sister admitted, frowning slightly. "He didn't seem to _dislike_ talking so much as he didn't like to talk without having something to _say_." She shook her head and stopped immediately at the sharp tug on her hair, a silent reproof from her sibling. "He seems to be one for..." her frown disappeared as she recalled words from the day before, "intellectual conversation." She sighed.   
  
"I heard that," Sango immediately pounced.   
  
"Heard what?" The annoyance in the two words made the older girl grin.   
  
"You sighed. Don't deny it; I heard you!"   
  
"I did _not_ sigh," she denied anyway, turning and running her fingers through her hair, reaching up to plait it in absent movements.   
  
"You _did_," she confirmed, crossing her arms and tapping the comb against her arm. Her smile faltered as she realized just how beautiful her sister was, with her arms raised above her head and a thin silk dress hugging her curves. It wasn't surprising that Shinomori Aoshi _or_ Himura Kenshin were interested; even if they were a solitary individuals, they were still men.   
  
"Maybe just a little," Kaoru conceded after a moment's pout. "You would too, if you saw him," she defended herself. "He has enough appeal to make _any_ woman want him."   
  
"I never said he didn't," Sango returned mildly. As she remembered, he had even had her _own_ belly quivering a little - but she didn't need to tell her little sister such a thing. "I was just surprised that you noticed, that's all."   
  
"Why wouldn't I notice?" She tied off her braid in an easy movement. "The man walks into a room and demands every woman's notice. His friend usually takes it first," she mused, her mind's eye flashing to the companion. "Kenshin - ah, Himura's - a little small compared to Shinomori, but he's still got the looks and the muscle. They both move like cats, really."   
  
"Cats?" Her older sister tilted her head, pursed her lips thoughtfully. _Predatory, sleek, graceful, dangerous..._ she nodded. "I agree."   
  
"And their voices - have you heard them speak?"   
  
"No." Her lips quirked in genuine amusement. She barely recalled the man with flaming hair and flashing amber eyes - she'd seen him once in passing, but Yumi had quietly told her his name. One look from him had her knees nearly giving way. Thank God she'd gotten past that reaction after a few steps, or she would have embarrassed herself.   
  
"Megumi calls them bedroom voices. I think I would have to agree. I'd love to hear them in - oh, God, what am I saying?" Her voice rose frantically. "A month ago I wouldn't even _dream_ these things, and now I'm thinking about it all the _time_!"   
  
Sango bit back a sympathetic laugh. "A month ago we were different people," she tried to soothe.   
  
"Not all _that_ different! My mind has turned to - I can't believe I'm _thinking_ this! What decent woman thinks such things?" she moaned. "I'm not supposed to worry about it until after I'm married, but here I am, thinking about... with _him_!"   
  
_I didn't realize it was this bad. She's definitely attracted._ "Now, now, Kaoru-chan..."   
  
"I'm... I'm turning into..." words failed her as she jabbed a finger in the direction of their new home, glaring angrily at the monstrosity as though it were the cause of all her ills. In a way, it was.   
  
"A member of the harem?" Sango asked teasingly. When flashing azure eyes turned on her, she guessed that it was _not_ the best answer. "It's perfectly all right to think that way, Kaoru-chan," she tried instead.   
  
"No it's not," she groaned, dropping her face into her hands. "I was... with him! You should have heard us - we were talking about... if he would ever... oh, God!" She tried to forget the memories of their conversation the day before. A politely worded conversation with innuendos about a possible assignation between the two of them. An _assignation_! She wasn't supposed to think such things, even if she _was_ part of a harem now... it had only been a month!   
  
"It's not so bad," her sister insisted, biting her lip. "At least you're not the one who... watched..." she nearly choked on her words.   
  
Kaoru's head snapped up. "You _didn't_? I thought you might have but I really didn't - you _did_?" she squeaked. Sango slapped a hand to her cheek, feeling the heat of her mortification.   
  
"She... said that she wouldn't really be doing much but that, you know... I should maybe watch and get a feel for it..." she made a vague motion with her hands. "But..." she ended weakly. "I think it might have gotten... a little out of hand."   
  
Her little sister was silent for a moment, before rallying back with, "What does that have to do with me thinking about... about _that_ with _him_?"   
  
Sango squirmed a little. _Now I'm not going to get out of this. I should have kept my mouth shut._ "It wasn't... so bad, really. Actually, I was really embarrassed watching, but..." She huffed out a little laugh. "You remember Kenshin - well of course you do, you just talked about him, but..."   
  
Kaoru blinked. "Kenshin? What...? You _didn't_..."   
  
"No! No, no. Nothing like that. But when I first saw him, I..." she motioned vaguely. "I was thinking about _that,_ too. Don't give me that look," she added sternly, despite her embarrassed giggles. She was unable to hold her sister's gaze. "It... I think it's because we, um, know about it and... that's why we think about it. We wouldn't know about it until after we were married if..." she motioned again. "You know."   
  
"Right." She took a deep breath. "Sango..."   
  
"Yes?"   
  
"We're never going to speak about this again. Ever."   
  
"Good idea." She shook herself. "Where's Misao-chan?" she asked quickly, desperate to change the subject. Her companion was more than willing to follow along with that lead.   
  
"I think she had another dinner with Tenken."   
  
"Tenken? Oh, the smiling boy? He's sweet - I had dinner with him the other night," Sango mentioned thoughtfully. "All he wanted to do was listen to me talk about anything at all."   
  
"Really? He does the same with Misao-chan." Kaoru tilted her head curiously. "Perhaps he's a little lonely, even though he's always smiling and happy."   
  
"It would make sense. He doesn't seem to be really close with anyone, though Yumi treats him like a little brother." She frowned slightly. "Perhaps I should have dinner with him more often. Maybe he'll loosen up a little and talk to me."   
  
"I hope he does." The younger girl bit her lip. "Misao-chan and I think he's repressing his emotions too much. If he could find someone to talk to, it would help him a lot. It's unhealthy to do it for as long as he has - no one ever remembers him as anything other than a smiling, cheerful guy."   
  
"Hmm." Sango looked up at the sky, watching the sun begin its descent. "There has to be a reason for it. But if he doesn't want to talk about it, I can't make him."   
  
"He might not even be aware of it himself," her sister cautioned. "So it might be a long time before he breaks down the barriers to talk with anyone about it."   
  
"I'm surprised Yumi or Megumi hasn't gotten anything out of him. It might be a little deeper than anything I can dig for." Honey-brown eyes lingered over the clouds, before turning back to her sibling. "I hear Sanosuke tried to offer Megumi a collar again?"   
  
"Yes." Kaoru's lips twitched slightly. "He was drunk at the time."   
  
"So she refused, I gather?"   
  
"Of course."   
  
"The poor dear. If only he'd learn that wooing her would go a long way." Sango laughed softly. "Most women like romance, instead of brash assumptions."   
  
"But men will continue to pursue what they can't attain," the younger woman pointed out.   
  
"Only to a certain point before they lost interest in the chase entirely, Kaoru-chan," she replied dryly. "The unattainable is only worthy for so long."   
  
"What unattainable?" The lilting, cheerful voice could only belong to one person. Sango turned to smile warmly at the newcomer.   
  
"Misao-chan! I thought you were holding company with Tenken-san again."   
  
"Oh, no. He and Himura - I mean, Battousai-san - were sent out today." The young girl frowned slightly. "Kaoru-chan, did you know Himura-san is Battousai?"   
  
"What?" Her eyes widened. _Battousai? But he's... he's... too _nice_ to be that assassin!_ "Himura Kenshin?"   
  
She nodded. "Tenken-san introduced us before he left." Her face was sober for once as she added, "Be careful, Kaoru-chan. I know you like his company, but..."   
  
"I will," she was quick to assure. "He's gone right now, though, so it will be easy to stay away from him." Her brow furrowed in thought. "But if he's Battousai - then who is Shinomori Aoshi...?"   
  
"The Oniwabanshu are Katsura-sama's information network," Misao explained. "But because of his great fighting skill, he is also one of the assassins. I heard that he will be taken from that information to fight openly after the winter ends."   
  
"I see." _To be surrounded by those who coldly take the lives of others..._ "Tenken, Battousai, Shinomori... are there any others?"   
  
"Well - there's the Shinsengumi captain, Saitou..."   
  
"Saitou?!" Sango's head snapped up.     
  
    
  
    
  
*`*`*`*`*`   
  
**CJ's Blurb:** Wee. I kind of liked this chapter, with some [Kaoru x Battousai] and [Aoshi x Misao] introduced. *grins* Some light humor in this chapter, I hope you enjoyed. Kaoru's going through a minor hysterical phase at the end, but it was necessary. Any of you notice how Battousai has a lot of Aoshi in him? I kind of liked that touch - the complete opposite of our loving, sweet-tempered Rurouni. Then again, it might also be my own little method of buttering up Panda for not making it a Kaoru/Aoshi pairing. *laughs*   
  
I especially liked the Battousai flirting part. He doesn't have much to do with women, nor does he much care, but he's been around Aoshi long enough to pick up his way of toying with the females. Wonder how many of you guessed that during the scene... ~grin~   
  
Thank you all for the reviews, they are muchly appreciated. :) 


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